What It’s Like Working as a Full-Time Nurse in a Hospital

Nursing really is a great career. It allows you to make ample amounts of money while truly making a difference in the lives of ill individuals each and every day. Many nurses choose to work in hospital settings, where they can have a variety of options to choose from, such as assisting in the maternity ward where babies are born or helping in the emergency room where exciting challenges arise at a moment’s notice to get the adrenaline really pumping.
No matter what area of a hospital you choose to work in once you have your nursing degree and you are qualified to begin looking for a job, however, there are certain challenges that you should be prepared to face. Read on to learn more about what it is like working as a nurse in a hospital on a full-time schedule.

Long Shifts Can Be Great, or They Can Be Draining A lot of nurses who work in hospitals choose to take on 10- or 12-hour shifts. This allows them to have several days off every week, which can make it even easier to take a long vacation when they need to. Working these long shifts also helps them to really care for their patients in a proper way and to ensure that patients get everything they need during each shift. Having a few days off in between workdays makes it easier to unwind and spend time with family and friends while doing what they love as well.

However, working these long shifts certainly also comes with its own set of drawbacks. Nursing can be a stressful career, so if you feel that you would get burned out too quickly by taking on this schedule, opt instead for shorter shifts that you would cover over the course of a week. This will allow you to spend less time at your job in one workday.

Exposure to Sick Individuals is Not for Everyone
In order to work with sick individuals every day who may have conditions that can be transferred to you, as well as to other patients under your care, you have to have a thick skin and be educated on proper hygiene. You will learn everything that you need to know for preventing the spread of disease while you are in college, but if you have a paranoid personality and you’re afraid of germs and getting sick, nursing isn’t the field for you. On the other hand, if you are confident that you know how to handle illnesses, you can enjoy a rewarding career that allows you help heal sick and injured people, from children to the elderly.

Continuing Education is Vital
Because the medical field is always evolving, nurses have to continually learn new skills and medical machinery to continue being the best at their jobs. One way to gain more education is to enroll in an online RN to BSN degree program. While on the job, you will also be asked to attend specialized workshops and classes as necessary.
About the Author: Jamie is a freelance writer who has two friends who work in the nursing field. Both work in hospitals, and both chose to take on 12-hour shifts so that they only need to work three days each week while having plenty of time for leisure activities, family, friends, and rest.